River Gallo

RIVER GALLO (they/them) is a GLAAD award-winning Salvadoran-American filmmaker, actor, writer, model and intersex activist from New Jersey. River received their BFA in Drama at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts Experimental Theatre Wing and their MFA In Film/TV Production from the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts. Their short film Ponyboi which they wrote, starred in, and co-directed with Sadé Clacken Joseph premiered at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival, executive produced by Stephen Fry and Emma Thompson. Ponyboi the feature film will premiere at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival in the US Dramatic Competition section. Directed by Esteban Arango, River wrote, produced, and starred alongside Dylan O’Brien, Victoria Pedretti, Indya Moore, and Emmy-award winner Murray Bartlett.They were also the subject of the critically-acclaimed feature documentary EVERY BODY directed by Academy-award nominated director Julie Cohen. Prior to their feature debut, River starred in multiple short films, a stage production of KING LEAR at the Annenberg Theater in Los Angeles, the Breaking the Binary Theater Festival, and the 24 Hour Plays on Broadway in New York. In the commercial space, River directed advertising spots for Facebook. River has collaborated and modeled for Abercrombie & Fitch, Crocs and made their New York Fashion Week debut walking for Chromat’s FW2021 show. For their work in the arts and on social justice issues, River made the OUT 100 list, won a GLAAD Rising Star Media Award, and was named one of the 10 LGBTQIA+ Film and TV Creators on the Rise in 2023 by Indiewire.